Transporting means for heavy machines



Nov. 7, 1933. B. H. FLYNN TRANSPORTING MEANS FOR HEAVY MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 13. 1932 Nov. 7, 1933. B. H. FLYNN TRANSPORTING MEANS FOR HEAVY MACHINES Filed July 15, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 B. H. FLYNN TRANSPORTING MEANS FOR HEAVY MACHINES Filed July 13, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 7, 1933.

Patented Nov. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES TRAN SPORTING MEANS FOR HEAVY MACHINES Benjamin H. Flynn, Alexandria, La.

Application July 13, 1932. Serial No 622,339

7 Claims.

When constructing concrete highways with present day methods, it is customary to lay parallel track rails which later form side forms for the concrete, to operate a motor-driven grading machine upon said track'rails to prepare the grade between them, and after pouring of the concrete, to operate finishing machines upon said rails to finish the surface of the inghway. In order that-the'machines may be movedfrom one project to another, it is customary to make provision whereby they may be jacked up and equipped with transporting wheels, but due to the weight of the machines, a great deal of time and difficulty is entailed in jacking up, applying the transport wheels, and later removing said wheels and again lowering the machine for use. It is the principal object of my invention to provide novel equipment whereby any of the heavy track-supported machines to be trans ported, may be quickly and easily run onto a unique transport truck, transported from one place to another by means of this truck, and unloaded therefrom onto another set of rails, with equal facility.

In carrying out the above end, a further object is to provide a transport truck of novel form, provided with a tiltable frame carrying rails to receive the flanged wheels of the machine to. be carried, tilting of the truck frame serving to expedite both loading and unloading thereof.

A still further object is to provide novel inclined rails adapted to rest upon the supporting rails of the machine at their lower ends and adapted for connection at their upper ends with the truck-carried rails, so that the machine may be readily advanced from its supporting rails, along said inclined rails and onto said truckcarried rails, effecting easy loading, and by a reversal of steps, providing also for easy unloading.

With the foregoing and minor objects in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, descrip tion being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawings.-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a truck constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the truck.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the front portion of the truck on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4. is an end elevation showing the truck frame and its rails tilted, showing said rails connected with the inclined rails leading from the track rails which previously supported the machine to be transported, and showing the machine advancing upon said inclined rails toward the truck-carried rails.

Fig, 5 is a transverse sectional View on line 5-5 of Fig. 1 showing the truck frame held in ,1 its normal horizontal position.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the manner in which the truck frame is held in tilted position for loading and unloading.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view on line 7'l of Fig. 1 showing one manner in which the truckcarried rails may be mounted for adjustment toward and from each other.

While only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated, it is to be understood that m variations may be made within the scope of the invention as claimed.

A transport truck 10 is shown provided with front and rear ground-engaging wheels 11 and 12, said truck having a laterally tiltable frame 13 carrying parallel rails 14 which extend transversely of the truck. Two inclined rails 15 are provided with sockets 16 at their upper ends, to connect said ends with the lower ends of the rails 14, when the latter are tilted by tilting the frame 13, said sockets 16 then receiving said ends of said rails 14. The lower ends 17 of the inclined rails 15 are beveled 'to'feather edges'to rest upon the track rails or side forms 18 upon which the ma- .chine 19 to be transported, has been operating. The upper ends ofthe inclined rails 15 are provided with supporting struts 20 having shoes 21 at their lower ends (preferably channel-shaped) to engage the track rails or side forms 18,'and to additionally support said rails 15, particularly if their beveled lower -edgesdo not rest solidly upon the rails 18, blocks or the like 22 may be employed.

When the truck 10 is disposed transversely of the track rails 18, the frame 13 and tracks 14 tilted, and the inclined tracks 16 connected with said tracks 14 and positioned on the track rails 18, the machine 19 may be propelled under its own power or otherwise along said inclined tracks 15 onto the tracks 14. Then, by restoring the frame 13 to its normal horizontal position and locking it in such position, the machine 19 may be transported to the desired location and unloaded with ease by a reversal of the above described steps. The inclined rails 15, blocks 22 and any other equipment which may be necessary for loading or unloading, may be carried on i the truck with the machine being transported.

The truck frame 13 includes parallel side bars 23 connected by a front end bar 24, a rear end bar 25, and two intermediate bars 26 and 2'7. The bar 26 is spaced somewhat behind the front bar 24, and said bars 26 and 24, together with the front portions of the side bars 23, are secured upon an annular channel-shaped track 28, suitable bracket plates or the like 29 being preferably employed in securing said bars and said track 28 together. Within the channel of the track 28, is the rim 30 of a fifth wheel, said wheel being provided with a supporting frame 31 which is pivoted at 32 to a central bearing 33 carried by the front axle 34 of the truck. This axle is much shorter than the rear axle 35, and the fron wheels 11 of said axle 34 are within the confines of the fifth wheel 303l. A suitable draft tongue, hitch or the like 36 is connected with the axle 34.

The transverse bar 27 is disposed in advance of the rear end bar 25 and is positioned over the rear axle 35. Vertical plates 37 are secured to said bar 27 and straddle a bearing 38 secured to the axle 35, and a pivot 39 passes through said plates and bearing. Both this pivot 39 andjthe pivot 32, extend longitudinally of the truck and said pivots are centrally disposed in axial alinement. It is upon these pivots that the frame 13 tilts, and when such tilting takes place, the rails 14, track 28 and fifth wheel 3G3l, also tilt.

Novel provision is made to normally hold the frame 13 against tilting so that the loaded machine may be transported by the truck, and provision is also made to hold said frame tilted while loading and unloading. To perform these functions, I preferably secure vertical arms 40 to the frame 13 in the angles between the transverse bar 2'7 and the side bars 23, said arms 40 straddling the rear axle 35. These arms 49 are formed with openings 41 which are normally above the axle 35, so that pins or bolts 42 inserted through said openings, will abut said axle, thereby so connecting the frame 13 with the axle that said frame cannot tilt. When one of these pins is removed, the frame 13 however, may tilt downwardly as shown in Fig. 6, and when said frame is so tilted, the opening 41 from which the pin or the like 42 was removed, is disposed below the axle 35, so that by re-inserting said pin or the like through said opening, the frame 13 will be held against returning to horizontal position during the act of loading. After the machine 19 has been moved onto the rails 14 however, removal of the pin 42v from engagement with the lower side of the axle 35, will allow return of the frame 13 to horizontal position, said pin being then re-inserted through the openings to abut the upper side of the axle 35, co-operating with the other pin or the like 42 in holding'the frame 13 in horizontal position.

Due to the fact that the rails or side forms 18 may be spaced apart different distances, according to the width of the highway being constructed, I provide for adjusting the rails 14 toward or from each other. Each rail is preferably provided with a bed plate 43 secured thereto and resting upon the frame side bars 23, and each of said rails is also provided with downwardly projecting arms 44 which straddle said bars 23. This construction holds the rails 14 against shifting transversely of the frame 13 but allows said rails to be shifted longitudinally of said frame into the proper spaced relation. Any suitable means (not shown) may be employed for holding the rails 14 inadjusted position, and any desired provision such as removably bolted cleats or choclrs 45 may be used to hold the machine 19 against accidental movement from the rails 14.

Excellent results are obtainable from the general structure disclosed and it may be followed if desired. Attention however is invited to the possibility of making numerous minor variations within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. A truck of the class described comprising wheeled supporting means, a longitudinal truck frame, means pivotally mounting said frame on said supporting means upon an axis extending longitudinally of the frame, parallel rails carried by and extending transversely of said frame to receive a wheeled machine when the frame is tilted upon said axis, releasable means for normally holding said frame against tilting, said frame having longitudinal bars supporting said rails and connecting means between said rails and bars for allowing relative shifting of said rails toward and from each other.

2. A truck of the class described comprising wheeled supporting means including a rear axle, a longitudinal truck frame, means pivotally mountingsaid truck frame upon said supporting means on a central axis extending longitudinally of the truck, said frame having longitudinal side bars spaced above, said rear axle and adapted to strike the latter to limit tiltingof the framein either direction, and releasable means for normally connecting said frame with said rear axle to prevent tilting of said frame.

3. A truck of the class described comprising wheeled supporting means including a rear axle, a longitudinal truck frame, means pivotally mounting said truck frame upon said supporting means on a central axis extending longitudinally of the truck, said frame having longitudinal side bars spaced above said rear axle and adapted to strike the latter to limit tilting of the frame in either direction, rigid arms projecting downwardly from said frame and extending across said rear axle, and releasable abutments carried by said arms for engagement with said axle to normally hold said frame against tilting.

4. A truck of the class described comprising wheeled supporting means including a rear axle, a longitudinal truck frame, means pivotally mounting said truck frame upon said supporting means on a central axis extending longitudinally of the truck, said frame having longitudinal side bars spaced above said rear axle and adapted to strike the latter to limit tilting of the frame in either direction, and axle-engaging means car ried by said frame for holding the latter either in normal or tilted position;

5. A truck of the class described comprising wheeled supporting means including a rear axle, a longitudinal truck frame, means pivotally mounting said truck frame upon said supporting means on a central'axis extending longitudinally of the truck, said frame having longitudinal side bars spaced above said rear axle and adapted to strike the latter to limit tilting of the frame in either direction, rigid arms projecting downwardly from said frame and extending across said rear axle, said arms having openings normally above said axle but one or the other below said axle when the frame is tilted, and pins insertible through said openings above the axle to hold the frame in normal position, either of said pins serving further to hold said frame in tilted position when inserted through the opening below the axle.

6. A truck of the class described comprising front and rear axles having wheels at their ends, a fifth wheel having a supporting frame pivoted upon said front axle on a central axis extending longitudinally of the truck, the wheels of said front axle being within the confines of the rim of said fifth wheel, a horizontal truck frame whose front end overlies said fifth wheel rim and is provided with means engaging the same, means pivotally mounting the rear end of said truck frame upon said rear-axle on a central axis extending longitudinally of the truck, and means for normally connecting said truck frame with said rear axle to prevent tilting.

7. A truck of the class described comprising front and rear axles having wheels at their ends, a fifth wheel having a supporting frame pivoted upon said front axle on a central axis extending longitudinally of the truck, the wheels of said front axle being within the confines of the rim of said fifth wheel, a horizontal truck frame whose front end overlies said fifth wheel rim and is provided with means engaging the same, means pivotally mounting the rear end of said truck frame upon said rear axle on a central axis extending longitudinally of the truck, and means for normally connecting said truck frame with said rear axle to prevent tilting and for connecting said frame to said rear axle to prevent return from tilted to horizontal position when desired.

' BENJAMIN H. FLYNN. 

